Coking retort oven



APM 1, 1930. J. BECKER ETAL y M52163 COKING RETORT OVEN l Filed sept. 27. 192e 5 sheets-sheet 1 BNVENTORS pril l, 1930. J, BECKER ET Al..

COKING RETORT OVEN Filed sept. 27, i926 Aprnl 1, 1930. .1. BECKER ET AL 1,752,363

GOKING RETORT OVEN Filed Sept. 27, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 1, 1930. J. BECKER ET AL COKING RETORT OVEN Filed Sept. 27, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 pri i, E930. J, BECKER ET AL l,752,363

COKING RETORTy OVEN Filed Sept. 27. 1926 5 Sheets-sheet 5 armee Apr'. 1, 1930 STE j .'l'OS'.E'.'t?IE[ BECKER AND JOSEPH VAN ACKEREN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVIA, AS- SIGNORS T THE KOPPERS CMPAN Y, A CORPORATION 0F TEENSYLVANIA COKING BETGRT OVEN Application led September 27, 1926. Serial No. 18'?,859.

Our invention relates to coke ovens and it has particular relation to by-product coke ovens, especially of the cross-regenerative type.

One object of our invention is to provide coke ovens of the type described above that shall operate eiiciently during the charging operation to remove smoke and gases therefrom without loss into the atmosphere, and

1o especially to provide for saving and collecting substantially all the smoke and gas evolved during charging of ovens in a battery whose collecting-mam system is operated on pressure instead of on suction.

A further object of our invention is to provide a method of operating high-chambered coke ovens having regenerators under the fioo'rs thereof, and having also means for withdrawing gases on both sides of the ac- 20 cumulated charge when being charged, whereby substantially smokeless operation is obtained and whereby the passage of highly heated air through the floors of ovens not being charged is eiectuallyprevented.

A further object of our invention is to provide a system for the collection of smoke and gases from coke. ovens wherein the collecting main systems are normally under pressure to maintain pressure on the ovens not being charged and wherein the pressure diderentlal in the ascension pipes on both sides of the accumulated charge of the /ovens being charged may be increased during the charging operation.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a system for controlling the pressures in coke ovens and the collecting mains connected thereto whereby the pressure differential may be increased locally in the ascension pipes of ovens being charged without substantial change in the normal pressures in the collecting mains or in ovens not being charged.

, Other objects are any other lmprovements u found to obtain in our invention as hereinafter described or claimed.

It is known that, in coke ovens of relaltively great height, in the advancedstages of cokin there exists what 1s known as stack e ect or a material difference in the fluid pressures at the top and the bottom of the oven, the pressure at the-bottom of the oven beinglower than at the top, relative to the atmospheric pressures at the same levels. The higher the oven, the more pronounced is this etl'ect., In case the ovens are of the cross-regenerativevtype, in which a regenerator for the oven is located beneath the Hoor of the latter, it is highly essential to prevent the passage of any of the highly heated air from the regenerator into the coking chamber. The presence of such air produces combustion of the coke in the bottom of the chamber, fluxing theresulting ashes and endangering or fluxing the brick work at and near the floor of the oven, especially because a reaction of the constituents of the coke ashes with the silica of the brick-work will lower the fusing point of and amalgamate as clinker with the silica brick and cement and disintegrate it. The stack e'ect increases the tendency for air to leak into the coking chamber. It' ovens of the type referred to above are operated on collecting mains under suction*- that is, below atmospheric pressure-such leakage is almost certain to occur and serious damage to the oven is inevitable. Therefore, such ovens are not operated with suction in the collecting main system.

It has been proposed, in a patent recently granted on an application yfiled later than applicants invention, to operate ovens by removing the smoke and gases evolved during charging by .operating the collecting mains under definite degrees of suction or sub-atmospheric pressures., ln the system of that patent, suction is applied not only to the oven being charged but to all of the ovens in the battery to -'which the mains are connected in common. Such operation is possible, however, only with the type of oven that is illustrated in that patent. rlhe oven shown therein is of almost obsolete type, the longitudinal-regenerator and sub-bottom combustion type, in which no cross-regenerators are provided undeneath the oven chambers and the oven is relatively low in height, of long coking time and of relatively low capacity, and combustion chambers are provided directly beneath the oven chambers and no considerable harm to the oven structure is caused, although there is dilution of the oven l gases, by products of combustion if they are drawn through the floors of the ovens, and in such sub-bottom combustion chambers the hot combustion mixture of fuel-gas and air would be burned before it could enter and pass through narrow oints or cracks into the oven chamber to appreciable extent.

In modern coke ovens,- however, having cross-regenerators, or even if having longitudinal regenerators, the oven chambers are high, the highly heated air is brought into the" heating flues at the sides of the chambers without previous sub-bottom combustion, and there issubstantially a plus-minus zero (as a practically atmospheric pressure condition is commonly termed in 'coke-oven operating) pressure or suction condition within the tops of the upflow regenerators. In such cases, the infiltration of air 'through the bottom of the coking chamber into the charge, causing serious damage, will become a danger that has to be prevented. Increasing the suction on n the heating system to prevent this infiltration has serious objections, such as leakage of valuable raw coal gas with all its by-products into the heating system and without any recovery of the by-products which are either burned up in the heating fluesor discharged into the stack and atmosphere. Suction in the collecting mains causes infiltration into the coking chambers.

Therefore, for reasons stated above, the arrangement of the pat-ent mentioned above is not applicable to coke ovens of modern type, which are substantially double the height of the oven of that patent and which have cross-regenerators beneath the floors thereof and have no sub-bottom combustion chambers.

Another consideration in the construction and operation of coke ovens is the provision of charging openings and conduit means for removing smoke and gases evolved during the operation of charging. In case the ovenis of relatively great length, although alsofor short ovens, a structure and method of operation similar to those shown and described in the patent to Becker No. 1,376,314 may be employed. It will be noted that, in the construction shown in the drawings ofthat patent, four charging openings are provided and otftake openings are provided on each side of each charging opening, five of such openings being provided. Suitable means are provided for connecting the intermediate openings with the mains during charging. .It will be noted further that this arrangement is provided for a comparatively long oven. I

In case the oven is relatively short, the number of charging openings and the numher'of ofltake openings for gas and smoke may be correspondingly reduced. For example, if the oven be sufficiently short, a single charging opening may be employed, as in the Brit.-

ish patent to Ruppert No. 18,513 of 1901. The

number of smoke offtake openings may be materially reduced in the case of shorter ovens, by reason of the correspondingly smaller number of gas traps formed during charging, as, for instance, in the German patent to Brunck No. 137,563, which has only two smoke oiftakes.

Our invention relates to coke-oven structure and apparatus that is similar in certain respects to, and constitutes an improvement upon, that of the aforesaid Becker Patent No. 1,376,314, and can be applied to and employed with the invention of that patent. Instead of utilizing one of the mains asia smoke main only, as shown in the drawings of that patent, both mains may be employed during both theI charging and the normal operations of the oven, or one main may be employed for both operations, as also shown in that patent. As in that Becker patent, whether employing one main or two mains, smoke and gases are Withdrawn on both sides of the accumulated charge and no gasesare trapped in the oven, eyen though the oven be filled to the top at the charging opening prior to levelling. The utilization of this principle has enabled us to secure substantially smokeless charging and, at the same time, maintain safe operating conditions for the ovens not being charged.

XVe provide a coke oven of, preferably, the cross-regenerative type (of Koppers Patent 818,033) and of modern yconstruction with respect to height (as in, for instance, Becker Patent 1,374,546), with means for collecting the gases normally and during the charging operation whereby ovens may be charged without subjecting the remaining ovens to th-e danger of damage caused by drawing air through the floors of the coking chambers. The collecting main system is operated under pressure in order to maintain pressure in all of the ovens in the battery not being charged, and the collecting-main pressure is governed by regulating means located at the outlet of the collecting main system. The regulator employed is preferably that shown and described in the patent to Van Ackeren No. 1,398,055, granted to The Koppers Company Nov. 22, 1921.

Each of the ascension pipes which connect a collecting main to the several ovens is vprovided with means, in the form of a steam jet, for causing a forced draft pressure differential locally in the ascension pipe during the charging operation to secure a more rapid flow of the gases from the corresponding ovens being charged. By reason of the regulating means referred to above and the relatively great diameter of collecting main, the pressures in the ovens in intermediate stages of the coking operation are substantialy unaffected. The result is to secure the rapid removal of the gases in the'oven heilig charged without lowering the pressure that is necessary for the safe operation of the other ovens, especially those in advanced stages of coking.

Our invention may be employed. for coke ovens each having a plurality of charging openings, especially when employing the connections shown in the aforesaid Becker Patent- No. 1,376,314; or the coke ovens in connection with which our invention in its more specific aspect is employed may each be provided with only one charging opening and also provided with a pressure-collecting main connected to each end of the ovens. nection or ascension pipes for connecting the collecting main system tothe ovens are each provided with an outwardly directed steam jet which, when supplied with steam', causes gases from the oven to flow more rapidly into the main by reason of the forced draft injector action of the steam jets; and the forced draft is exerted upon ofl'takes at both sides of the accumulating charge in the oven.

By means of this arrangement, it is possible to not only maintain all of the ovens not being charged under sufficient pressure above atmospheric pressure'that not only is the socalled stack effect counteracted. but there is no danger of leakage from the regenerators into the Coking chambers. At the same time, the rapidly evolved gases and smoke from the ovens being charged are withdrawn therefrom in such direct manner and at such rate that there is substantially no loss into the atmosphere and that there is no substantial detrimental influx of air into the oven chambers through the charging or other openings temporarily exposed to the atmosphere duringr the charging operation. A

The details of our invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show exemplilications of the invention without limiting it thereto, and in which Figure 1 is a View, partially in transverse section and partially in elevation, of a cokeoven battery constructed in accordance with our invention with certain of its operating mechanism and auxiliary apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the coke oven of Fig. 1, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. certain of the rassociated apparatus being shown partially in section and partially in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken partially on the line III-III and partially on the line A-A of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a :fragmentary side view in elevation of a portion of the battery on the pusher side; a

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section taken on line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section taken on line V-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of two adjacent The con-` ascension pipes and the steam connections therefor, parts being broken away;

Fig. 8 is a view, partially in elevation and partiallyin section, along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a view in section, taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the gas-collect ing mains of a coke-oven battery and their cross-equalizer pipes, the ascension pipes for connecting the mains to the several coke ovens being shown in outline;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of one of the gas mains of Fig. 10 on the pusher side, parts being broken away;

Fig. 12 is an elevational view of one of the collecting-main crossequalizing pipes; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of vtheterininal cross-equalizer pipe and the outlet pipe therefor, together with certain details of the gas governor therefor.

Similar reference numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, which presents a cross-sectional view, through the colting chamber of one of the ovens, of a batt-ery of cross-regenerative coke ovens of the crossover type, the Becker oven type of the Becker Patent No. 1.374,546 (granted to The Koppers Company April 12, 1921), a coke oven 1 constitutes a portion of a battery of similar coke ovensl of any desired number. The battery is mounted on a foundation 2 and is provided with the usual auxiliary apparatus, only certain of which is shown, comprising a leveler bar 3, a coke pusher 4, a clay carrier 5, a coke guide 6 and a quenching car 7.

The top of the battery is provided with the usual rails 9. upon which is mounted a larry car 10 for charging the ovens of the bat-terv. Vithin the foundation 2 is a stack flue 11, which conveys products of combustion. A gas main 12 supplies to certain of the regenerators producer gas for heating the ovens, and alternatively, colte-oven gas for like purpose is supplied through a man 13 to the gasguns of the heating walls.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. cross-regenerators 15 serving the oven 1 occupy the space between the foundation 2 and the horizontal masonry base and sole or floor 16, 47 of the oven chambers. All of the ovens of the battery are similarly provided with cross-regencrators for preheating air only or gas and air according as coke-oven gas or producer gas is used as a fuel.

The oven 1, which is substantially identical` with the other ovens of the battery, is, in the illustrated instance, a relatively short horizontal oven, such as often used in smaller gas plants, as compared to the long horizontal ovens commonly used in larger gas plants and in steel plants and to. whichour invenu tion in its broader aspects is also applicable. The oven shown is, however, relatively high, being of the modern high-chambered oven type. It is provided with one charging opening 17 and with two ofltake openings 18 that are connected by means of ascension pipes 19 to collecting mains 20 which are similarly connected to the other ovens of the battery. A steam pipe 22, which extends along the sides of the collecting mains 20, supplies steam for jets in the ascension pipes 19, the jets having handles 23 whereby they may be manipulated.: as will be later described.

The oven 1 provided. with removable doors 24 and 25 at the respectve ends thereof by means of which the coke mayv be removed or pushed. ik small door 26, above the door 25, on the pusher side of the battery, permits thel entrance of the leveler bar 3. The door 26 is controlled by a hand wheel 27.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 3, in which the left-hand portion is a sectional view on the line III-III of Fig. 2 and extending from the end of the battery to the center-line of the second oven. The righthand portion of Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line A-A of Fig. 2 and extending from the other end of the battery to the center line of the second oven therefrom. Between these portions are the rest ofthe similar ovens of the battery.

The end walls 29 and 30 of the battery are composed mainly of bricks of fire clay adjacent to which are inner walls 31 and 32 of silica brick. Between the end over, which may be, for example, the oven 1, and the end wall 29, is a heating wall 33, within which is a series of combustion chambers or fines 34, and there is a similar heating wall 33 with its series of similar combustion chambers 34 between the end oven 1 and the second over 35. The alternate arrangement of heating walls and coking chambers obtains throughout the battery.

The fines 34 are each connected through an opening 36 to a horizontally extending flue 37. The openings 36 may, each be regulated by a sliding brick 38 that is operated through an access Hue 39 in the oven top. The corresponding horizontal flues 37 on opposite sides of alternate ovens are connected in pairs by cross-overs 40, one of the cross-'overs being shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 3 as extending over the top of the coking chamber of oven 41.

In the space beneath the coking chambers and flues and above the foundation are located regenerators 15 of the well-known checker-work type for preheating gas and air and for storing heat in accordance with the direction of t-he gases through the sev-- eralpassages. The regenerators are laterallf. walled by pillar walls 42 and other supporting walls 43, that separate the regenerators from each other, these walls being under the heating walls and coking chambers.

The pillar walls 42 and the other supporting walls 43 constitute the main support for the entire oven superstructure. Each regenerator 15 is provided with ducts 44 for communicating with each Hue 34, alternately to conduct preheated fuel gas or air thereto and to conduct hot products of combustion from the fines to the regenerator 15. In case coke oven gas is employed as fuel, it is supplied through channels 45, which are connected by ducts 46 to each flue directly and air only is drawn up through the regenerators l5.

The horizontal brick-work 47, which separates the oven structure from the regenerators and which comprises the floors of the ovens, is provided with a series of expansion joints 48 that are indicated in Fig. 3 by double lines. These joints are necessary to permit expansion of the various walls when the batt-ery is heated to bring it gradually to operating temperature. By reason of the presence of these joints which are not always tightly closed, leakage of air therethrough from the regenerators 15, andthrough other brick joint-s or cracks into the several ovens is likely to occur unless proper operating conditions are maintained. The likelihood of leakage is also increased by the large number of ducts 44 for the lues 34' which perforate the brickwork 47 adjacent to the expansion joints 48.

Referring to Fig. 4, a portion of the door 25 on the pusher side of the oven 1 is shown therein. Immediately above the door 25 is the leveler door 26 for the leveler bar 3. The door 26, which is shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, comprises a rectangular closure plate 50 and a hinged member 51 for carrying the plate 50. The hand wheel 27 is connected to a threaded shaft 52 which forces the plate 5() tightly over the opening when the member 51 has been fastened by a latch 53.

Reference'ma'y now be had to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, in which the details of the ascension pipes are shown. Each ascension pipe 19 comprises a vertical portion 54, a portion 55 of inverted U-shape and a flanged portion 56 that is adapted to be connected to the associated collecting main. Each ascension pipe is provided with a hinged cover valve 57, having a handle '58.

A steam jet 60, having an upwardly directed opening 61 and a handle 23, has swivel connections at 62 and 63 to the steam pipe 22 whereby it may be used in either of two adjacent ascension pipes, the jet being inserted and withdrawn through an opening 64 in each ascension pipe. Each ascension pipe is provided with another opening and a removable plug 65 therefor whereby the steam jet may, alternatively, be. employed at the latter opening, if desired. Each ascension pipe 19 is provided with a semi-circular heat shield 66.

which the gases collected by the collecting main system are withdrawn to the ley-product house.

As shown in F ig. 13, the terminal of the collecting main system at the outletof pipe 69 into the pipe 7 0 is controlledy by a butteriy valve 72 that is operatively connected to an arm 7 3 that is actuated by a suitable regulating device 74, details of which are notI shown, inasmuch as they constitute no part of the present invention. The regulating device 74 is connected to the equalizing pipes on opposite sides of the junction with the pipe 7 0 by pipes 75 and 7 6 whereby the regulating device 74 is responsive to pressures in the respective collecting mains. j

The regulating device 7 4 is so adjusted that it operates to control the butterfly valve 72 in such position as to maintain the pressure within the collecting main system at approximately 3.5 mm. of water in ordinary practice. Such regulation is necessary because of the variable inflow of gas from the ovens into the collecting mains and by reason of the fact that beyond the collecting main system, the pipe 70, between the butterfly valve 72 and the by-product house, may be operated as a suction main instead of under the pressure condition required to be maintained in the collecting main system.

It may be assumed that the coke-oven bat. tery, of which the illustrated ovens are a part, is in normal operation and that, in accordance with the schedule, the,coke has been pushed from the colte oven 1 and that the oven is to be charged. The larry car 10, with its hopper 79 filled with tlie proper quantity of coal (or any coking or carbonizable material) to fill the coking chamber to the desired level, is brought to position over the charging opening 17.

The lid (not shown) for the charging opening 17 is removed and the sleeve 80, which is telescopically mounted on the lower end of tlie hopper, is lowered into position by any usual or rsuitable means in4 registry with the charging opening. The jets 60 for the ascension pipes 19 are then inserted through 'the openings 64 and steam is admitted to the jets b v means of valves 81. The valves are so adjusted that the pressure at the charging hole is substantially -plus-minus zero, rela-V tive to atmospheric pressure.

The gate 82 of the hopper is then withlflows into the oven until it is lled approximately to the extent represented in Fig. 2, with a portion of the charge remaining in the charging opening and in the lower 'portion of the hopper. The angle of repose of the coal shown in the drawing is approximately the minimum angle from the horizontal assumed by coal that is completely dry. In case the coal contains moisture, the slope will be somewhat steeper, since the coal does not flow so freely, as will be readily understood. Y

The coal is then levelled by means of the leveler bar 3, the door 26 being previously opened to its dotted-line position indicated in Fig. 6. The leveler bar is reciprocated through and over the pile of coal until the coal occupies the level indicated by the dotand-dash linesrin Figs. 1 and 2. The leveler door 26 is then closed and latched and the hand-Wheelv27 is operated to cause the closure plate to tightly close the opening. Also, when the hopper is empty and the coal has sunk below the top of the charging opening 17, the sleeve 8O is raised and the lid is inserted over the charging opening in the usual manner. y

While the oven 1 is being charged, the steam jets in the ascension pipes 19 have operated with an injector action to Withdraw smoke and gases from each end of the oven and to force them into the collecting mains 2 against the pressure of the latter.

1n view of the fact that the pressure in the top of the` coke oven durin' charging is maintained by the operator by suitable adjustment of the steam jets 60 at plus-minus zero, substantially no smoke or gases have escaped through the charging opening or the leveler door and substantially no detrimental quantity of air has entered these openings. Accordingly, the charging operation is substantially a smokeless one and there has been no material waste of gases by combustion caused by influx of air through the leveler door opening or the charging opening temporarily-exposed to the atmosphere during the charging operation.

The steam jets 60, which have materially increased the pressure differential in the ascension pipes 19, accomplish the Withdrawal of the gases at such rate as to maintain substantially zero pressure at the openings of the oven by reason of their injector action. The steam jets also exert pressure on the mains, which pressure is quickly compensated for by the regulator 74. Accordingly, there has been no diminution of pressure, or

material increase of pressure, on the ovens several to many millimeters of water exists in the oven, the maximum pressure depending somewhat on the quantity of volatile matter and moisture in the coal. With the pressure in collecting mains maintainedv constant at substantially 3.5 mm. of water, the prescific gravity being much lower than that of air.

This henomenon, or the so-called stack effect, becomes greatly increased in high-chambered ovens, especially if there is suction in the collecting mains, and renders it essential that the cokeovens be operated ascension pipes o under pressure in order to prevent the leakage of air from the regenerators 15 through the expansion joints 48, or`other brick joints or cracks, in the brick-word 47. The top of the upflow air regenerators are operated at nearly plus-minus zero pressure or suction, and any considerable suction condition in the bottoms of the oven chambers gives enough differential to cause such leakage, even though the leakage paths are tortuous enough to obstruct the suction effect of a very small differential. The necessity for operating the collecting mains and the coking chambers under pressure will, therefore, be readily appreciated. The comparatively large number of ducts 44, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and their proximity to the expansion joints 48, as shown in Fig. 3, further indicate the above possibility of leakage from the regenerators into the coking chamber. Similarly,

there may also be leakage of lean gas from the gas regenerators when the ovens are being operated as gas-ovens, and such lean gas may detrimentally dilute the distillate gas of the ovens. v

The description of the operation of charging the oven 1 applies equally well to the other ovens in the battery, it being understood that, Aas usually, the ovens are charged in succession in interpolated series and that, at any time during the operation of the battery, mutually adjacent ovens are in various stages of coking.l n

It will be noted that we have provided a battery of high-chambered coke ovens of such construction and method of operation that we are enabled to collect all the charging smoke and yet operate the battery continuously without danger of leakage of air from the regenerators into the coking chambers. Pressure of the desired degree is maintained continuously upon the ovens not being charged while the ressure differential in the fptheovens being charged is so increased that the smoke and gases may be withdrawn therefrom at such rate `as to prevent their escape into the atmosphere.

The means employed to withdraw the gases through the ascension pipes are conveniently adjusted whereby the pressure within the top portions of ovens being charged may be maintained so nearly equal to atmosphericA draft in the ascension pipe or smoke ofltake" at one end of an oven that is being charged,

there has not been provision for saving and Y collecting substantially all the smoke and gas evo'lved during charging of ovens in a battery Whose collecting main system is operated on pressure. Such provision is made by the present invention by applying forced draft to the olf-taking of smoke from both sides of the charge entering an oven that is being charged, while at the same time maintaining regulated pressure on the collecting main system of the Whole battery. This method and arrangement is made additionally effective by so employing, when desired, two pressure collecting mainsrespectively connected with individual forced-draft ascension pipes at each of the ends of each oven inthe battery, and also, more especially forshort ovens, by having only one charging place and only two oftakes under forced draft for each `oven that is being charged While on the pressure collecting main system.

Our invention as hereinbeforeset forth is exemplified ina particularly described apparatus and method, but it may be variously embodied Within the scope'. of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim as my invention: j t

1. In abattery of coke ovens, the combina# tion with a horizontally elongated coking chamber, of a cross-regenerator underneath said chamber and separated therefrom directly by the base and sole of the latter, two collecting mains connected to said chamber near its ends and regulating means for maintaining substantially constant pressure above atmospheric on said mains while withdrawing gas thereto from said chamber during the charging thereof. t

2. In a battery of coke ovens, the combination with a yhorizontally elongated coking chamber of great height, of a cross-regenerw ator separated from said chamber directly by the base and sole of the latter, two col- A bers b v, oi'l'takes near their opposite ends-tor collecting smoke and gases from said chambers individually1 and independently of adjacent ovens, and regulating means or maintaininej pressure above atmospheric on said collecting means while one of said ovens is Jbein g charged and gases are being withdrawn therefrom into said collecting means, where by pressure may be maintained in the coking chambers of the other ovens and the'leaka-ge of air from the regenerators through the floors of the coking chambers of said other ovens eiectually prevented.

4. The method of charging with coal a hot coke oven having two collecting mains con nected thereto on respectively opposite sides of a top charging opening, which comprisesy filling said oven to the top at one top charging opening only and maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said mains during the charging operation while withdrawing intol said mains the gases from the oven tops on the respective opposite sides of said opening.

5. The method of charging with coal a hot coke oven having spaced connections from its top to two collecting mains and a top charging opening between said connections, which comprises filling the'oven to the top at said top charging opening only, and maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said mains during the charging operation while removing into said mains the gases evolved in said oven.

The method of charging with coal a hot coke oven having connections from its top i to two collecting means which comprises filling the oven, from above, to the top at one portion only during the charging operation and maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said mains during the charging operation while effecting the removal of gases to t-he respective mains from the respectively opposite sides of the Iilled portion.

7. The method of charging hot coke ovens having top charging openings and two col' lecting mains normally under pressure above atmospheric and respectively connected to the oven tops by ascension Vpipes on each oven respectively located toward 'opposite ends of the oven, which comprises charging said ovens with coal through top charging openings, increasing the pressure differential in said ascension pipes duringv the charging o the corresponding oven, the pressure in the mains being maintained substantially constant by regulation at the outlets of said mams.

8. In a method of charging and operating hot coke ovens having two collecting mains respectively connected to the oven tops by means of ascension pipes on each oven respec- 'tively located. toward opposite ends of the oven, wherein coal is charged into each f said ovens through itstop intermediate such pipes,

the improvement which comprises normally maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said mains and increasing the pressure differential in the ascension pipes of the oven being charged.

' 9. The method of charging hot coke ovens each having a single top vcharging opening with collecting mains connected tothe oven tops on opposite sides of each opening and with regenerators closely beneath the coking chambers which comprises supplying coal through said openings, leveling the surface of said coal and maintaining pressure above atmospheric on -the ovens not being charged `while withdrawing gas int-o said mains from the ovens being charged.

10. The combination with a battery of coke ovens, each comprising a horizontally elongated coking chamber having a single top charging opening, and collecting mains connected to the tops of said chambers'at opposite sides of said opening, of a cross-regenerator for air beneath and along the base of each of said chambers and means for maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said mains while withdrawing into said mains gases evolved in one of said chambers during the charging operation thereof, whereby pressure may be maintained in the other chambers and the passage of air from regeneratiors through the floors of said other chambers effectually prevented. t

1l. The method of charging hot coke ovens each having a single top charging opening and a collecting main connected to the tops of said ovens by means of ascension pipes which comprises charging said ovens with coal through said openings and increasing the pressure differential in the ascension pipes of the ovens being charged, pressure above atmospheric in the main being maintained substantially constant by regulation at the outlet thereof, whereby pressure is maintained in the ovens not being charged.

12. ln a method of lcharging coal into and coking the same in a battery of high-chambered horizontal coke-ovens of cross-regenerative type with'withdrawal of distillate gases into a collecting main, the improvement which comprises: maintaining continuously a substantially constant pressure above atmospheric in the collecting main system into ,i which the distillate gases are delivered from adjacent regenerative and other air and fuelgas spaces and conduits charging coal into the hot oven-chambers through their tops, and leveling the accumulating charges; forcing into the aforesaid pressure mainl system the smoke and gas evolved during charging, by withdrawing such smoke and gas from the 'oven tops by forced draft upon opposite sides of the accumulating charges; and controlling said forced draft individually for the ovens being charged, and to such degree as to overcome the aforesaid back pressure from the collecting system and at the same time maintain such a pressure balance in the tops of'said ovens as substantially to prevent outflow of smoke or detriment al influx of air through the charging and other openings temporarily eX- posed to the atmosphere during the charging operations.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the collectingis separately effected on the opposite 'coke and pusher sides respectively of the battery.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the charging is effected at a single place between the opposite coke-side and pusher-side ends of each oven.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12 and in which the collecting is separately .effected on the opposite coke and pusher sides respectively of the battery and the charging 1s 'effected at a single place betweenthe co eside and pusher-side ends of each oven.

. 16. In a battery of horizontal coke-ovens, in combination, high-chambered coke ovens with cross-regenerators closely thereunder and having in their tops charging openings and smoke ott'takes, said offtakes being disposed on opposite sides of the charging openings relatively to the opposite coke-side and pusher-side ends of the oven chambers; collecting-main means for collecting the distillate gases from the ovens of the battery; regulating means for maintaining substantially consta-nt pressure above atmospheric in said collecting-main means; connection means forV connecting the collecting-main means with the said smoke offtakes of the individual ovens independently of adjacent ovens; and means for inducing forced draft in said connection means to Withdrawr smoke from the individual ovens while respectively being charged, said forced-draft means being regulable both to overcome back-pressure from the collecting means and to maintain in the said ovens the balanced pressure required on both the coke-side and the pusher-side of the charging openings.

17. In a battery of horizontal coke-ovens,

the combination as claimed in claim 16 and in which there are collecting mains on the opposite coke-side and pusher-side of the battery respectively.

18. In a battery of horizontal coke-ovens,

charging the ovens with coal through their roofs while saidovens are hot, collecting the gaseous products from charged ovens with thel pressures therein sufliciently high relative to exterior pressures throughout the entire coking periods, to prevent substantial leakage into the ovens through the walls thereof and during the charging operations withdrawing the gaseous products from the opposite end portions of each oven while the same is being charged, the pressures in said end portions being made sufficiently low to prevent subst-antial escape and loss of gaseous products from said oven.

21. The combination with a battery of coke ovens each having a horizontally elongated coking chamber, of means connected to said chambers by oi'takes near their oppositel ends for collect-ing smoke and gases from said chambers individually and independently of adjacent ovens, and. regulating means for maintaining pressure above atmospheric on said collecting means while one of said ovens is being charged and gases are being withdrawn therefrom into said collecting means,

vwhereby pressure may be maintained in the coking chambers of the other ovens and the leakage of air through the floors of the coking chambers of said other ovens effectually prevented.

22. In a battery of horizontal coke'ovens, in combination, high-chambered coke ovens having in their tops charging openings and smoke offtakes, said oftakes being disposed on opposite sides of the charging openings relatively to the L opposite coke-side and pusher-side ends of the oven chambers; col.

lecting-main means for collecting the distillate gases from the ovens of the battery; regulating means for maintaining substan# tially constant pressure above atmospheric in said collecting-main means; connection means for connecting the collecting main means with the said smoke o'takes of the individual ovens independently Qof adjacent ovens; and

means forl inducing forced draftin said connection means to withdraw smoke from the. individual ovens while rspectively being charged, said forced-draft means being regulab e both to 'overcome back pressure from the collecting means and to maintain in the said ovens the balanced pressure required on broth the coke-side and the pusher-side of the c argmg opemngs. 10 23. In a battery of horizontal coke-oven, the combination as claimed in claim 22 and in which each oven has only one charging openn :for charging with coal.

testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscrib our names this 25th day of Sep- Atember, 1926. JOSEPH BECKER.l

JOSEPH VAN ACKEREN.A 

